The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis Orchid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name, (Brother Sophia) xe2x80x98Pine Ridge #1xe2x80x99. The new cultivar may be marketed under the name Sea Jewel.
Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials; many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis are predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and are native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically have 2-ranked fleshy oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.
Phalaenopsis orchids, referred to as xe2x80x98Moth Orchidsxe2x80x99 in the horticultural trade, are used as cut flowers for the florist trade, or sold as flowering potted plants for the home or interiorscape.
Phalaenopsis produce upright or pendent lateral flowering racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals, and three petals, the lateral ones are similar. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow, and red-brown.
Phalaenopsis Orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and planted in a suitable substrate. Phalaenopsis Orchids may also be asexually reproduced by tissue culture.
The new cultivar was discovered by the Inventor within the progeny of a cross of the parent plants listed below that was made in 1995. The new cultivar was selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant in a controlled environment in Homestead, Fla. in February, 1997.
Since September, 1997, asexual propagation by tissue culture in a laboratory in Sebring, Fla. has been used to increase the number of plants for evaluation and has demonstrated that the unique combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of new cultivar which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Flowers of the new cultivar are densely marked with purple-violet spots over a white background. The labellum is dark red in color.
2. Inflorescences of the new cultivar are tall, frequently branched, and sturdy with long lasting flowers with good substance.
3. Leaves of the new cultivar are elliptic in shape and attractively marked with silver blotches and spots.
4. Plants of new cultivar grow quickly, uniformly, and vigorously.
5. Plants of the new cultivar flower early, producing marketable flowering plants in about 11 months.
Plants of the new cultivar have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength, without however, any change in genotype.
Plants of the new cultivar differ primarily from plants of the parent cultivars in flower color. Perhaps the closest commercial comparison to the new cultivar can be made to seedling-derived Phalaenopsis Orchids which are heterogeneous genetically, and typically lack uniformity in growth vigor, plant growth habit, and flower quality. Since this reference point has inconsistent characteristics, a direct comparison for (Brother Sophia) xe2x80x98Pine Ridge #1xe2x80x99 is not available. The new cultivar is a single genotype asexually-propagated via tissue culture; thus its combined horticultural characteristics listed above are uniform and predictable.